WS corrects press to protect view of Bahamas' waters

NEW YORK: Weber Shandwick AE Sarah Kissko swam with the media sharks on behalf of the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism.

Determined to rein in movie reviewers who reported that the summer thriller Open Water is set in the Bahamas, Kissko sent e-mails requesting corrections to 60 publications worldwide.

WS didn't want readers to think that its client's waters are shark-infested. "[In] reality, there are more deaths from toothpick-related incidents than sharks in the Bahamas," Kissko said.

Her e-mail admitted that parts of the movie were filmed in the Bahamas, but clarified that it was set only in a "tropical location," and that the incident it is based on took place near New Zealand. About 20 outlets printed corrections. But the e-mail was also ridiculed in The Pantagraph (Bloomington-Normal, IL). Reviewer Dan Craft labeled the e-mail, "From the 'Not in our vacation resort ...' file."